GB2040158A

GB2040158A - Vacuum cleaner for industrial and domestic use

Info

Publication number: GB2040158A
Application number: GB7943538A
Authority: GB
Original assignee: Rommag P Woerwag & Co
Current assignee: Rommag P Woerwag & Co
Priority date: 1978-12-23
Filing date: 1979-12-18
Publication date: 1980-08-28
Also published as: US4299007A; DE2856116A1; FR2444446A1

Description

1

GB 2 040 158 A

1

SPECIFICATION

Vacuum cleaner for industrial and domestic use

5 The invention relates to vacuum cleaners for industrial and domestic use.

In vacuum cleaners, it is known to locate the _ actuating members for initiating the individual functions of the appliance on the upper side of the 10 casing. With this arrangement of the actuating members predominantly operated with the foot, it is a drawback that they easily become dirty. Due to the manner of their arrangement and their frequently very small dimensions, the area surrounding the 15 actuating members becomes scratched and dirty very quickly. Actuation by the foot is preferable to manual actuation, since in the case of manual actuation, it is necessary to bend towards the vacuum cleaner. Furthermore, the springs which 20 return the actuating members are generally very hard and ill-suited for manual operation.

Afurther drawback of the actuating members located on the upper side of the appliance is caused by their relatively high position above the surface of 25 the floor. To actuate pedals, the person operating the vacuum cleaner is required to raise his foot, which may cause older people in particular to lose their balance and there is a danger of them falling. When the vacuum cleaner is not in use, for example when 30 the latter is stored, there is a possibility of the switch for the fan motor being depressed unintentionally and therefore the fan motor begins to operate when the appliance is plugged into the mains supply prior to being used.

35 It is therefore the object of the invention to construct the vacuum cleaner so that a more convenient foot operation of the actuating members is possible, without scratches resulting thereby on the surface of the vacuum cleaner casing. At the same 40 time, the actuating members should be arranged so that accidental operation is virtually excluded when the vacuum cleaner is not in use.

This object is fulfilled according to the invention due to the fact that the actuating members are 45 combined in the form of a foot pedal bar and are located in the lower part of one end face.

With this design, the distance between the floor surface and the upper edge of the actuating members is minimal so that it is only necessary to lift the 50 foot slightly when operating the appliance. ; The invention will now be described further, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings which illustrate one embodiment , thereof, and in which:-

55 Figure 1 is a perspective illustration of a vacuum cleaner, and

Figure 2 is a side view of the arrangement shown in in Figure 1.

For easier movement over the floor 8, the vacuum 60 cleaner 1 is mounted on wheels 2 and rollers 7. The opening 4 serving for the connection of the suction hose is located on the end face 3 remote from the wheels 2. The foot pedal bar 5 is provided below the opening 4. This foot pedal bar 5 is located at a low 65 level relative to the floor and is mounted to pivot about its axis parallel to the end face of the vacuum cleaner 1.

Due to the location of the foot pedal bar 5 on the end face at the suction side, in comparison with its 70 location on the other end face with the power supply cable 9, a substantial improvement and assitance of operation is achieved. The operator is always located on the end face at the suction side, but previously, for operation, had to move over to the 75 other end face.

As can be seen from Figure 1, the foot pedal bar 5 is divided into individual foot pedals 5a, 5b, 5c, each of which individual pedals can be operated independently of the other pedals. The individual pedals 5a, 80 5ib, 5c, are provided with symbols describing the function. The right hand pedal 5c, serves for starting and stopping the fan motor. A brief depression of the pedal 5c switches the motor on and a further depression of the same pedal 5c switches the latter 85 off. The left hand pedal 5a serves for rewinding the power cable 9 located inside the appliance housing. When the vacuum cleaner 1 is to be used, this cable 9 is drawn out of the vacuum cleaner housing manually, in which case it unwinds from a cable 90 drum rotatably mounted inside the housing and thus tensions a return spring in known manner. The power cable 9 is secured by a return feed locking arrangement with any desired withdrawn length. After use of the vacuum cleaner 1, the return feed 95 locking arrangement is released by depressing pedal 5a provided for this purpose, so that under the action of the return spring, the power cable 9 is rewound on the drum inside the vacuum cleaner housing 1. After the completion of this rewinding process, the de-100 pressed pedal 5a is once more released.

Both mechanical as well as electrical members may be used for varying the suction of the vacuum cleaner 1. The mechanical members serving for variation of the suction are preferably valves or 105 slides, by which additional air openings having varying cross-sections can be opened or closed, so that the operating air stream flows completely or only partly through the suction tool. The electrical members serving for varying the suction vary the 110 speed of the fan motor by initiating electrical switching operations, which act on the fan motor. By depressing the pedal 5b located in the centre between the two outer pedal sections 5a and 5c, these switching operations are initiated in stages or 115 continuously. The switching operation can thus be varied in small stages, for example a ratchet is connected to the pedal 5b, which ratchet moves by one step for each stroke of the pedal or with a continuous electrical switching device, which carries 120 out the switching operation slowly as long as the pedal 5b is depressed.

The possibility of use of the divided foot pedal bar 5 is not limited to the embodiment described. As a further function, it may allow the opening of the 125 frame receiving the dust filter for example, for changing the dust filter or may be restricted to fewer functions. The pedal 5b varying the suction of the fan motor is also connected to an indicator which preferably shows the suction selected on the 130 vacuum cleaner 1.

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GB 2 040 158 A

2

If only two functions are intended for the foot pedal bar 5, then this can be constructed in one piece. In this case, the contacts for actuation are located in the region of the outer ends of the foot 5 pedal bar 5. The respective function is initiated solely by a tilting movement of the corresponding end of the pedal, in which case the other end of the foot pedal bar 5 does not change its position, or only slightly.

10 The individual pedals 5a, 5b, and 5c are actuated by the tip of the foot, as illustrated in Figure 2. A free space 6 for introducing the tip of the foot or shoe for depressing the pedals 5a, 5b, 5c, is provided above the foot pedal bar 5, for actuating the pedals 5a, 5b,

15 5c, with the tip of the foot. In order to make actuation even easier, the surface of the foot pedal bar 5 maybe inclined forwardiy.

It is particularly advantageous that the foot pedal bar 5 is located inside the outer contour of the

20 appliance casing, as shown in Figures 1 and 2. It extends over the width of the end face 3 and forms the lower boundary of the latter.

Claims

CLAIMS 25

1. Vacuum cleaner for industrial and domestic use with actuating members for initiating various individual control functions of the appliance, for example for starting and stopping the fan motor, for

30 rewinding the mains lead inside the housing and for varying the suction, the actuating members being able to be operated by the foot, characterised in that the actuating members are combined in the form of a foot pedal bar and are located in the lower part of

35 one end face.

2. Vacuum cleaner according to claim ^characterised in that the foot pedal bar is located on the end face at the suction side.

3. Vacuum cleaner according to claim 2, char-

40 acterised in that the foot pedal bar is located below the opening for the suction hose.

4. Vacuum cleaner according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterised in that the foot pedal bar extends over the width of the end face and forms the

45 lower boundary of the latter.

5. Vacuum cleaner according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterised in that the foot pedal is located within the external contours of the appliance casing.

50

6. Vacuum cleaner according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterised in that the foot pedal bar is mounted to rotate about its axis parallel to the end face.

7. Vacuum cleaner according to any one of

55 claims 1 to 6, characterised in that a free space if provided above the foot pedal bar for introducing the tip of the foot or shoe.

8. Vacuum cleaner according to any one of claims 1 to 7, characterised in that the surface of the

60 foot pedal bar is downwardly and forwardiy inclined.

9. Vacuum cleaner according to any one of claims 1 to 8, characterised in that the foot pedal bar is divided into individual, separately operable foot pedals.

65

10. Vacuum cleaner according to any one of claims 1 to 9, characterised, by a pedal for controlling the suction of the fan motor, the said pedal being connected to an apparatus for indicating the suction selected.

70

11. Vacuum cleaner according to claim 10, characterised in that the suction can be changed in step-wise or continuous manner.

12. Vacuum cleaner according to any one of claims 1 to 5, or in claims 7 or 8 when dependant on

75 any one of claims 1 to 5, characterised in that the foot pedal bar is constructed in one piece.

13. Vacuum cleaner according to claim 12, characterised in that the contacts for actuation are located in the region of the outer ends of the one

80 piece foot pedal bar.

14. A vacuum cleaner substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

Printed for Her Majesty's Stationery Office by Croydon Printing Company Limited, Croydon Surrey, 1980.

Published by the Patent Office, 25 Southampton Buildings, London, WC2A1 AY, from which copies may be obtained.